Stall BMW 323i 1996 E36 Owners Manual

CHARGING
SYSTEM

TROUBLESHOOTING
.............
.
.
.
.
.121-2

Charging
System
Quick-Check
...
.
..
.
...
.
121-2

Static
current
draw,
checking
........
.
...
.
121-2

BATTERY
SERVICE
....................
121-3

Battery
Testing
.
.
.
.
.
.........
.
........
.
121-3

Hydrometer
Testing
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
.........
121-3

Battery
Open-Circuit
Voltage
Test
....
.
....
121-4

Battery
Load
Voltage
Test
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-4

Battery
Charging
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-4

ALTERNATOR
SERVICE
.
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
...
121-4

Chargingsystem,checking
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-4

Alternator,
removingand
installing

(4-cylinder
engine)
....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-5

Alternator,
removingand
installing

(6-cylinder
engine)
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-6

GENERAL

The
charging
system
consists
of
a
belt-driven
alternator

with
integral
voltage
regulator
and
a
battery
mounted
in
the

luggage
compartment
.

Various
versions
of
alternators,
voltage
regulators,
starters,

and
batteries
are
used
in
the
E36
cars
.
It
is
important
to
re-

place
components
according
tothe
original
equipment
speci-

fication
.
Check
with
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
for
specific

application
and
parts
information
.

WARNING
-

"
Weargoggles,
rubbergloves,
and
a
rubberapron
when
working
around
batteries
and
battery
acid
(electrolyte)
.

"
Battery
acid
contains
sulfuric
acid
and
can
cause
skin
irritation
and
burning
.
ff
acid
is
spilled
onyour
skin
or
clothing,
flush
the
area
at
once
with
large
quantities
of
water
.
lf
electrolyte
gets
into
your
eyes,flush
them
with
largequantities
of
clean
wa-
terfor
several
minutes
and
call
a
physician
.

"
Batteries
that
are
being
charged
or
are
fully
charged
give
off
explosive
hydrogen
gas
.
Keep
sparks
and
open
flames
away
.
Do
not
smoke
.

BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR



121-1

121
Battery,
Starter,
Alternator

GENERAL
..
.
...
.
........
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
121-1



Voltage
regulator,
removing
and
ínstalling
.
.
.
121-6

Alternator
brushes,
inspecting
and
replacing
.121-7

STARTER
SERVICE
....
.
.
.
.
.
..........
.121-7

Starter
Troubleshootíng



121-7



15
..
.
.
.
.
.
........
.
.
.

Starter,
removing
and
installing

(4-cylinder
engine)
....
.
.
.
............
.
121-8

Starter,
removing
and
installing

(6-cylinder
engine
with
manual
transmission)
..
.
...........
.
...
121-8

Starter,
removing
and
installing

(6-cylinder
engine
with

automatic
transmission)
................
121-9

Solenoid
switch,
removingand
installing
....
121-10

TABLES

a
.
Battery,
Starter
and
Charging
System

Troubleshooting
............
.
.
.
.
:...
........
121-2

b
.
Specific
Gravity
of
Battery
Electrolyte
at
80°F
(27°C)
...............
.
.
..
..........
121-3

c
.
Open-Circuit
Voltage
and
Battery
Charge
........
121-4

d
.
Battery
Load
Test-Minimum
Voltage
.
..........
121-4

CAUTION
-

"
Prior
to
disconnectiog
the
battery,
read
the
bat-tery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
on
page
viii
.
"
Disconnecting
the
battery
cables
may
erase
fault
codes
stored
in
control
unit
memory
.

"
Always
disconnect
the
negative
()
battery
cable
first
and
reconnect
it
last
.
Cover
the
battery
post
with
an
insulating
material
whenever
the
cable
is
removed
.

"
After
reconnecting
the
battery,
the
power
window
motors
must
be
reinitialized
.
See
511
Door
Win-
dows
.

"
Never
reverse
the
battery
cables
.
Even
a
momen-
tary
wrong
connection
can
damage
the
alternatoror
other
electrical
components
.

"
Battery
cables
may
be
the
same
color
.
Label
ca-blebefore
removing
.

GENERAL

Fig
.1.



Electrical
system
static
current
draw
being
measured
.

To
determine
the
circuit
or
component
causing
the
problem,

remove
one
Puse
at
a
time
until
the
current
drops
to
a
normal
range
.

BATTERY
SERVICE

The
E36
uses
a
six-cell,
12-volt
leadacid
battery
mounted

in
the
luggage
compartment
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

NOTE-

E36
convertible
models
require
a
specialbattery
which
is
designed
for
constant
vibratfon
.
A
battery
not
de-signed
for
this
will
fail
much
earlier
.

Battery
capacity
is
determined
by
the
amount
of
current

needed
tostart
the
vehicle,
and
by
the
amount
of
current
con-
sumed
by
the
electrical
system
.

BMW
batteries
are
rated
by
ampere/hours
(Ah)
and
cold

cranking
amps
(CCA)
rating
.
The
Ah
rating
is
determined
by

the
average
amount
of
current
the
battery
can
deliver
over
time
without
dropping
below
a
specified
voltage
.
The
CCA
is

determined
by
the
battery's
ability
to
deliver
starting
current
at

0°
F
(-18°
C)
without
dropping
below
a
specified
voltage
.

Battery
Testing

noN~A

B9517

Battery
testing
determines
the
state
of
battery
charge
.
On

conventional
or
low-maintenance
batteries
the
most
common

method
of
testing
the
battery
is
that
of
checking
the
specific

gravity
of
the
electrolyte
using
a
hydrometer
.
Before
testing

the
battery,
check
that
the
cables
are
tight
and
free
of
corro-

sion
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

Hydrometer
Testing

The
hydrometer
consists
of
a
glass
cylinder
with
a
freely

moving
float
inside
.
When
electrolyte
is
drawn
into
the
cylin-

der,
the
levelto
which
the
float
sinks
indicates
the
specific

BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR



121-
3

Fig
.
2
.



Battery
in
right
sideof
luggage
compartment
.

gravity
of
the
electrolyte
.
The
more
dense
the
concentration
of
sulfuric
acid
in
the
electrolyte,
the
less
the
float
will
sink,
result-

ing
in
a
higher
reading
and
indicating
a
higher
state
of
charge)
.

NOTE-

Electrolyte
temperature
affects
hydrometer
reading
.
Check
the
electrolyte
temperaturewith
a
thermometer
.
Add
0
.004
to
the
hydrometer
reading
for
every
10°F
(6°C)
that
the
electrolyte
is
above
80°F
(27°C)
.
Sub-
tract
0
.004
from
the
reading
for
every
10°F
(6°C)
that
the
electrolyte
is
below
80°F
(27°C)
.

Before
checking
the
specificgravity
of
a
battery,
load
the
battery
with
15
amperes
for
one
minute
.
lf
the
battery
is
in-

stalled
in
the
vehicle,
this
can
be
done
by
turning
on
the
head-

lights
without
the
engine
running
.
Table
b
lists
the
percentage

of
charge
based
on
specific
gravity
values
.

Table
b
.
Specific
Gravity
of
Battery
Electrolyteat

80
°
F
(27°C)

Specific
gravity



1



Stateof
charge

1
.265



Fully
charged
1
.225



75%
charged
1
.190



50%
charged
1
.155



25%
charged
1
.120



Fully
discharged

The
battery
isin
satisfactory
condition
if
theaverage
specif-

ic
gravity
of
the
six
cells
is
at
least
1
.225
.
If
the
specific
gravity

is
above
this
leve¡,
butthe
battery
lacks
power
for
starting,
de-

termine
the
battery's
senrice
condition
with
a
load
voltage
test,

as
described
below
.
If
the
average
specific
gravity
of
the
six

cells
is
below
1
.225,
remove
the
battery
from
the
luggage

compartment
and
recharge
.
If,
after
recharging,
the
specific
gravity
varies
by
more
than
0
.005
between
any
two
celis,
re-

place
the
battery
.

CHARGING
SYSTEM
TROUBLESHOOTING

2
.
Remove
cooling
duct
or
terminal
cover
from
rear
of
al-



2
.
Remove
air
cleaner
upper
section
with
mass
air
flow
ternator
.



sensor
.

3
.
Check
for
battery
voltage
between
ground
and
terminal



3
.
Remove
terminal
cover
from
rear
of
alternator
.
Discon
B+
at
back
of
alternator
.
Then
turn
ignition
on
and



nect
wiring
.
check
for
battery
voltage
between
terminal
D+
and
ground
.
See
Fig
.
3
.
lf
voltage
is
not
present
at
either



4
.
Remove
drive
belt
from
alternator
pulley
.
See
020
point,
check
wiring
for
faults
.



Maintenance
program
.

001
¡987
Fig
.
3
.



Terminal
B+
is
supplied
battery
voltage
directly
from
the
bat-
tery
.
Terminal
D+
is
supplied
battery
voltage
via
the
charge
warning
bulb
when
thekey
is
on
or
the
engine
is
running
.

4
.
lf
no
faults
are
foundup
to
thispoint,test
alternator
out-

put
using
a
load
tester
.

5
.
If
a
load
tester
is
not
available,
a
crude
output
test
can
be
done
by
running
engine
at
about
2000
rpmand
turn-
ing
on
electrical
loads
(fans,
lights
and
rear
window
de-
froster,
wipers)
.
With
al¡
accessories
on,
battery
voltage
should
be
above
12
.0
VDC
.

A
replacement
alternator
should
have
the
same
rating
as
the
original
.
Alternator
manufacturer
and
ampere
rating
are
normally
marked
on
the
alternator
housing
.
1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
battery
cable
.

CAUTION-

Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
battery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
on
page
vi¡¡
.

BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR



121-
5

6
.
Remove
upper
and
lower
mounting
bolts
and
lift
out
al-
ternator
.
See
Fig
.
4
.

NOTE
-

If
reusing
drive
belt,
mark
direction
of
rotation
on
belt
before
removing
.

5
.
On
M44
engine
with
hydraulic
belt
tensioner
:
Remove
tensioner
idler
pulley
(upper
roller)
from
alternator

bracket
.

Fig
.
4
.



Alternator
mounting
bolts
(arrows)
.

O



u
J
S
v~~

U

I



1
i
n
-12
.22

Alternator,
removing
and
installing



7
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.
Install
drive
belt
as

(4-cylinder
engine)



described
in
020
Maintenance
Program
.

Tightening
Torques

"
D+
vire
to
alternator
(M6
nut)
.
...
.
.
.
7
Nm
(53
in-lb)

"
B+
wire
to
alternator
(M8
nut)
..
.
.
.
.
.
13
Nm
(10
ft-Ib)

"
Pulley
to
alternator
(M16
nut)
...
..
..
60
Nm
(44
ft-Ib)

ALTERNATOR
SERVICE

121-
6



BATTERY
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR

Alternator,
removing
and
installing

(6-cylinder
engine)

A
replacement
alternator
should
have
the
same
rating
as

the
original
.
Alternator
manufacturer
and
ampere
rating
are

normally
marked
on
the
alternator
housing
.

1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
battery
cable
.

CAUTION-

Prior
to
disconnectiog
the
battery,
read
the
battery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
onpage
viii
.

2
.
Remove
alternator
cooling
duct
and
air
filter
housing

assembly
from
car
.
Disconnect
wiring
from
rear
of
alter-

nator
.

3
.
Remove
radiator
cooling
fan
and
fan
shroud
.
See
170

Radiator
and
Cooling
System
.

4
.
Remove
alternator
drive
belt
from
alternator
pulley
.
On

engines
with
hydraulic
belt
tensioner,
remove
tensioner

idler
pulley
(upper
roller)
from
alternator
bracket
.
See

Fig
.
5
.

ALTERNATOR
SERVICE

Fig
.
5
.



Pry
off
cover
from
tensioner
and
then
lever
tensioner
clock-
wise
to
release
belt
tension
.
Remove
upper
roller
(A)
once
belt
ís
removed
.

NOTE-

If
reusing
drive
belt,
mark
direction
of
rotation
on
belt

before
removing
.

5
.
Remove
upper
and
lower
mounting
bolts
and
lift
out
al-

ternator
.

6
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.
Note
locating
notches
on
tensioner
idler
pulley
(upper
roller)
alternator
brack-

et
when
installing
pulley
.

Tightening
Torques

"
D+
wire
to
alternator
(M6
nut)
.......
7
Nm
(53
in-lb)

"
B+
wireto
alternator
(M8
nut)
.......
13
Nm
(10
ft-Ib)

"
Pulley
to
alternator
(M16
nut)
.......
60
Nm
(44
ft-Ib)

Voltage
regulator,
removing
and
installing

1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
cable
from
battery
.

NOTE-



2
.
Remove
alternator
as
described
earlier
.

The
radiator
cooling
fan
nut
(32
mm
wrench)has
left-
hand
threads
.



3
.
Remove
cooling
duct
from
rear
of
alternator
.
See
Fig
.
6
.

Alternator

.
.g-



p~
J

-..
.

Fig
.
6
.



Alternator
assemblyand
related
parts
.

Cooling
duct

0012524

4
.
Remove
voltage
regulator
mounting
screws
and
re-

move
regulator
from
alternator
.

5
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.
Clean
brush
contact

surfaces
in
alternator
and
check
brush
length
asde-

scribed
later
.

Alternator
brushes,



STARTER
SERVICE
inspecting
and
replacing

Regulator
brushesarenot
available
as
replacement
parts
from
BMW
.
Replacement
brushes
may
be
available
from
af-

termarket
sources,
however
.

1
.
Remove
voltage
regulator
as
described
above
.

2
.
Clean
brush
contact
sürfaces
and
measure
brush
pro-trusion
.
See
Fig
.
7
.

Check
for
battery
voltage
at
terminal
50
of
the
starter
motor
Fig
.
7
.



Regulator
brush
protrusion
(A)
.



with
the
key
in
the
start
position
.
See
Fig
.
8
.
If
voltage
is
not
present,
check
the
wiring
between
the
ignition
switch
and
the
starter
terminal
.
If
voltage
is
present
and
no
other
visible
wir
Voltage
Regulator



ing
faults
can
be
found,
the
problem
is
most
likely
interna¡in

"
Brush
protrusion
(minimum)
.......
.
..
5
mm
(
1
/4
in
.)



the
starter
motor
.

3
.
To
replace
brushes,
carefully
and
as
quickly
as
possi-

ble,
unsolder
brush
lead
from
brush
holder
termina¡,

withdrawing
brush
from
holder
at
same
time
.

4
.
Remove
any
traces
of
solder
frombrush
holder
termi-
nal
using
solder
wick
.

5
.
Fit
spring
into
brush
holder
and
inserí
new
brush
.

6
.
Guide
brush
lead
into
terminal
and
solder
into
place
.

Check
for
free
movement
of
brushes
when
solder

cools
.

7
.
Check
brush
slip
rings
in
alternator
for
wear
.
Lightly
clean
slip
rings
using
fine
abrasive
cloth
.

BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR



121-
7

Starter
Troubleshooting

If
the
starter
tucos
the
engine
slowlyor
fails
to
operate
when
the
ignition
isin
the
start
position,
check
the
battery
first
.
In-
spect
the
starter
wires,
terminals,
and
ground
connections
for
good
contact
.
In
particular,
make
sure
the
ground
connections
between
the
battery,
the
body
and
the
engine
are
completely
clean
and
tight
.
If
no
faults
can
be
found,
the
starter
may
be
faulty
and
should
be
replaced
.

NOTE
-

"
Starting
in1194,
a
factory-installed
drive-away
protec-
tion
system,
alsoreferred
to
as
EWS
or
EWS
11,
was
used
on
all
E36
cars
.
This
system
prevenís
operation
of
the
starter
when
the
system
is
engaged
.
See
515
Central
Locking
and
Anti-theft
.

"
On
cars
with
automatic
transmission,
a
starter
relay
and
a
neutral
safetyswitchare
used
to
present
theen-
ginefrom
starting
in
gear
positions
other
than
park
or
neutral
.
ff
voltage
is
not
present
atterminal
50
with
the
key
in
the
startposition,
check
these
components

To
make
the
most
accurate
check
of
the
battery
cables
and
starterwiring,
make
a
voltage
drop
test
on
the
cables
and
wir-

ing
as
described
in
600
Electrical
System-General
.

Terminal
30
'
\



/
Terminal
30h

0012518

8
.
Reinstall
regulator
and
alternator
.



Fig
.
8
.



Typical
starterwiring
terminal
identification
.
Large
wireat
ter-
minal
30
is
direct
battery
voltage
.
Smaller
wire
at
terminal
50
operates
starter
solenoid
via
ignition
switch
.

STARTER
SERVICE

121-
8



BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR

1f
the
solenoid
audibly
cliicks
but
the
motor
does
not
turn,



Starter,
removing
and
installing
switch
on
the
lights
andtum
the
key
to
the
start
position
.
lf
the



(6-cylinder
engine
with
lights
go
out
while
attempting
to
start,
the
battery
cable
may
be



manual
transmission)
loose
or
the
starter
may
have
a
short
circuit
.
If
the
lights
stay

on,the
solenoid
is
most
likely
atfault
.
The
starter
on
a
6-cylinder
car
with
manual
transmission
is

Starter,
removing
and
installing

(4-cylinder
engine)



1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
battery
cable
.

1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
cable
from
battery
.

CAUTION-

Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
battery

disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this

manual
on
page
viii
.

2
.
Remove
guide
tube
for
oil
dipstick
.

3
.
Raise
vehicle
.

WARNING
-

Make
sure
the
car
ís
stable
and
wefl
supported
at
all
times
.
Use
a
professional
automotive
lift
or
jack
stands
designed
forthe
purpose
.
A
floor
jack
is
not
adequate
support
.

4
.
Disconnect
wiring
from
starter
.

5
.
Remove
top
and
bottom
starter
bolts
.
Bottom
bolt
must

be
removed
from
below
car
.
Remove
starter
support

bracket,
if
applicable
.

removed
from
below
.

2
.
Raise
vehicle
.

3
.
Remove
reinforcing
cross
bracefromunder
transmís-

sion,
if
applicable
.

4
.
Remove
cover
from
fuel
filter
and
fuel
lines
on
left
side

underneath
car,
if
applicable
.
Detach
fuel
lines
and
har-

ness
connectors
from
retainingbrackets,
as
necessary

5
.
Disconnect
wiring
from
starter
.

6
.
Loosen
andremove
bolts
and
nuts
fastening
starter
to

transmission
bell
housing
and/or
engine
block
.
Remove

starter
supportbracket
.

7
.
Remove
starter
from
below
.

8
.
Check
starter
pinion
gear
and
flywheel
teeth
for
dam-

age
.

9
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.

6
.
Pull
starter
downward
and
turn
until
solenoid
is
at
top,



Tightening
Torques

then
remove
from
car
.



"
Re¡
nforcing
cross
brace

to
chassis
(M10)
..
...............
42
Nm
(31
ft-Ib)

7
.
>Check
starter
pinion
gear
and
flywheel
teeth
for
dam-



"
Starter
to
engine
block
(M10
bolt)
...
50
Nm
(37
ft-Ib)

age
.



"
Support
bracket
to
starter
(M5
nut)
...
5
Nm
(44
in-lb)

"
Support
bracket

8
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.



to
engine
block
(M10
bolt)
.........
47
Nm
(35
ft-Ib)

"
Wire
to
terminal
50
(M6
nut)
.........
6
Nm
(53
ín-Ib)

"
Wire
to
terminal
30
(M8
nut)
.........
12
Nm
(9
ft-lb)

Tightening
Torques

"
Starter
to
engine
block
(M10
bolt)
...
50
Nm
(37
ft-lb)

Wire
to
terminal
50
(M6
nut)
........
6
Nm
(53
in-lb)

"
Wire
toterminal
30
(M8
nut)
...
,
..:.
12
Nm
(9
ft-Ib)

STARTER
SERVICE

Starter,
removing
and
installing

(6-cylinder
engine
with

automatic
transmission)

The
starter
on
a
6-cylinder
car
with
automatic
transmission

ís
removed
from
above
.
It
is
necessary
to
remove
the
íntake

manifold
and
disconnect
a
number
of
electrical
harness
con-

nectors
.

1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
battery
cable
.

2
.
Remove
air
plenum
from
rear
of
engine
compartment
.

See640
Heating
and
Air
Conditioning
.

3
.
Remove
top
enginecovers
.
See
Fig
.
9
.

Fig
.
9
.



Remove
top
engine
cover
by
prying
out
plugs
and
removing
nuts
(A)
.
Make
sure
rubber
insulators
(B)
on
either
sideof
large
cover
do
not
fall
off
during
cover
removal
.

4
.
Remove
ignition
coil
harness
connectors
.
Remove
ground
connection
at
front
of
cylinder
head
.

5
.
Remove
two
retaining
bolts
and
lift
off
fuel
injector
har-
ness
connector
strip
.
Carefully
fold
away
all
harnesses
toward
right
side
of
engine
compartment
and
place
at
base
of
windshield
.
See
Fig
.
10
.

6
.
Remove
intake
manifold
.
See
113
Cylinder
Head
Re-
moval
and
Installation
.

7
.
Disconnect
wiring
from
starter
.

BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR



121-
9

Fig
.
10
.
Fuel
injection
harness
(A)
and
ignition
coíl
harness
connectors
(B)
being
lifted
off
engine
to
be
placed
at
base
ofwindshield
.
M50
engine
shown
.
Other
6-cylinder
engines
are
similar
.

8
.
Loosen
and
remove
bolts
and
nuts
fastening
starter
to
transmission
bell
housing
and/or
engine
block
.
Remove

starter
support
bracket
.

Fig
.
11
.
Starter
wiring
terminals
and
support
bracket(arrow)
.
Intake
manifold
has
been
removed
.

STARTER
SERVICE

121-1
O



BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR

9
.
Remove
starter
from
above
.

10
.
Check
starter
pinion
gear
and
flywheel
teeth
for
dam-
age
.

11
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.

Tightening
Torques

"
tntakemanifold
to
cylinder
head

M7
nut
...
.
................
...
.
15
Nm
(11
ft-Ib)

M8
nut/bolt
.............
.
.
..
...
22
Nm
(16
ft-Ib)

"
Starter
to
engine
block
(M10
bolt)
...
50
Nm
(37
ft-Ib)

"
Support
bracket
to
starter
(M5
nut)
...
5
Nm
(44
in-lb)

"
Support
bracket

to
engine
block
(M10
bolt)
.
.
..
..
...
47
Nm
(35
ft-Ib)

"
Wire
toterminal
50
(M6
nut)
.
..
.....
6
Nm
(53
in-lb)

"
Wire
toterminal
30
(M8
nut)
...
.....
12
Nm
(9
ft-Ib)

Solenoid
switch,
removing
and
installing

1
.
Remove
starter
as
described
above
.
Tightening
Torque

2
.
Remove
cover
from
solenoid
switch
.



"
Field
winding
strap
to
starter
(M8)
...
.
12
Nm
(9
ft-Ib)

3
.
Disconnect
fieid
winding
strap
between
starter
motor

and
solenoid
switch
.

NOTE-

The
condition
of
the
field
winding
strap
is
critical
.
If
it
is
damaged,
bumed
or
partially
melted
through,
a
new
or

rebuilt
starter
motor
is
needed
.

4
.
Remove
solenoidswitch
mounting
screws,
and
sepa-

,
rate
solenoid
from
starter
.
See
Fig
.
12
.

CAUTION-

When
installing
fieid
winding
strap
to
starter,
posi-

tion
it
so
that
it
does
not
contact
the
starter
body
.

STARTER
SERVICE

131~184

Fig
.
12
.
Starter
solenoid
mounting
screws
(arrows)
are
tight
.
Use
en
impact
screwdriver
to
loosen
the
screws
.

5
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.
Lubricate
solenoid
pistos
with
light
grease
.

FUEL
INJECTION



130-
3

Fuel
metering
.
The
ECM
meters
fuel
bychanging
the



The
engine
management
system
compensates
automatical-
opening
time
(pulsewidth)
of
the
fuel
injectors
.
To
ensure
that



ly
for
changes
in
the
engine
due
to
age,
minor
wear
or
small
injector
pulsewídth
is
the
only
factor
that
determines
fuel
me-



problems,
such
as
a
disconnected
vacuum
hose
.
Asa
result,
tering,fuel
pressure
is
maintained
bya
fuel
pressure
regula-



idle
speed
and
mixture
do
not
need
lo
be
adjustedas
partof
tor
.
The
injectors
are
mounted
lo
a
common
fuel
supply
called



routine
maintenance
.
the
fuel
rail
.

The
ECM
monitors
engine
speed
to
determine
the
duration



NOTE-

ofinjector
openings
.
Other
signals
to
the
ECM
help
determine



Poordriveabilitymaybe
encountered
when
the
batteryis

injector
pulse
time
for
different
operating
conditions
.
A
tem-



disconnected
and
reconnected
.
when
the
battery
is
dis-
connected,
the
adaptive
memory
is
lost
The
system
will
perature
sensor
signals
engine
temperature
for
mixture
adap-



readaptafterabout
ten
minutes
of
drfving
.
tion
.
A
throttle
position
sensor
signals
throttle
position
.
The
exhaust
oxygen
sensor(s)
signal
information
about
combus-
tion
efficiency
for
control
of
the
air-fuel
mixture
.
1992
to
1995



DISA
(Dual
Resonance
Intake
System)
engines
are
equipped
with
a
single
sensor
.
1996
and
later
(OBD
II)
engines
are
equipped
with
an
oxygen
sensor
before



TheE36
4-cylinder
engine
is
equipped
with
a
dual
intake
andone
after
each
catalytic
converter
.
Forexample,the
M52



runner
system,
termed
DISA
.
DISA
offers
the
advantages
of
engine
is
equipped
withfour
oxygen
sensors
.



both
short
and
long
intake
pipes
.
Long
intake
runners
are
most
useful
at
low
to
medium
engine
rpm
for
producing
good
Idle
speed
control
.
ldle
speed
is
electronically
controlled



torque
characteristics
.
Short
intake
runners
produce
hígherviathe
idle
speed
control
valve,
which
maintains
idle
speed
by



horsepower
at
hígher
engine
speeds
.
bypassing
varying
amounts
of
air
around
theclosed
throttle
valve
.
Idle
speed
is
not
adjustable
.



NOTE-

Knock
(detonation)
control
.
Knock
sensors
monitor
and



The
term
DISA
comes
from
the
German
words
Differen-

control
ignition
knock
through
the
ECM
.
The
knock
sensors



zierte
Sauganlage,
and
can
roughlybe
translated
as
"dif-
fering
intake
manifold
configuration
."
See
100
Engine-
function
like
microphones
and
are
able
to
convert
mechanical



General
foradditional
information
on
DISA
operation
.
vibration
(knock)
into
electrical
signals
.
The
ECM
is
pro-

grammed
to
react
to
frequencies
that
are
characteristic
of
en-



Manifold
construction
:
The
intake
manifold
is
a
two-piece
gine
knock
and
adapt
the
ignition
timing
point
accordingly
.



metal
construction,
with
a
pair
of
runners
in
thetop
section
See120
Ignition
System
for
further
details
.



and
four
runners
in
the
lower
section
.
A
butterfly
valve
is
in-
stalled
in
the
lower
section,
enabling
the
DISA
solenoid
toiso-

NOTE-



late
one
pair
of
runners
from
the
other
pair
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

The
1992
M50
engine
is
not
equipped
with
knock
sen-



Operation
.
With
the
DISA
butterfly
valve
closed,
the
pipes
sors
.
All
other
engines
are
equipped
with
two
knock



in
thetop
half
of
the
manifold
act
together
with
the
ram
air
sensors
.



pipes
in
the
lower
halfto
producea
single,
long
air
intake
pipe
for
each
cylinder
.
See
Fig
.
3
.
The
column
of
aír
oscíllating
in

Basic
Engine
Settings



this
combined
pipe
significantly
increases
engine
torque
in
the

medium
rpm
range
.

Idle
speed,
idle
mixture
(%CO),
and
ignition
timing
arenot

adjustable
.
The
adaptive
engine
management
system
is
de-

signed
to
automatically
compensate
for
changes
in
engine
op-

eratingconditions,
although
the
adaptive
range
is
limited
.
Once

these
limits
are
exceeded,
driveability
problems
usually
be-

come
noticeable
.

Above
approximately
4,800
rpm,
the
butterfly
valve
between
the
intake
air
pipes
for
the
two
cylinder
groups
is
opened
.
The
shorter
pipes
in
the
lower
manifold
section
now
become
the

main
suppliers
of
ram
air
to
the
cylinders,yielding
greater
pow-

er
at
the
upper
end
of
the
engine
rpm
range
.
See
Fig
.
4
.

Control
components
.
The
DISA
butterfly
valve
is
actuated

NOTE-



electro-pneumatically
via
the
engine
control
module
(ECM)
.

lf
the
system
adaptive
limits
are
exceeded,
the
Check



The
valve
begins
to
open
as
engine
speed
rises
aboye
4,840

Engine
light
will
most
likely
come
on,
indicating
an



rpmand
closes
below
4,760
rpm
.
The
action
of
the
valve
is
de-
emissions-
related
fault
For
Check
Engine
light
diag-



liberately
delayed
to
prevent
it
from
opening
and
closing
repeat-
nostics,
see100
Engine-General
.



edly
within
a
short
time
.

GENERAL

130-
6



FUEL
INJECTION

Warnings
and
Cautions

For
personal
safety,
as
well
as
the
protection
of
sensitive

electronic
components,
the
following
warnings
and
cautions

should
be
adhered
to
when
working
on
the
engine
manage-

ment
system
.

GENERAL
WARNING
-

"
The
ignition
system
produces
high
voltages
that

can
be
fatal
.
Avoid
contact
with
exposed
termi-

nals
.
Use
extreme
caution
when
working
onacar
with
the
ignition
switched
on
or
the
engine
run-
ning
.

"
Do
not
touch
or
disconnect
any
high
voltage
ca-

bles
from
the
coils
or
spark
plugs
while
the
engine

is
running
or
beingcranked
by
the
starter
.

"
Connect
and
disconnect
the
DME
system
wiring
and
test
equipment
leads
only
when
the
ignition
is
switched
off
.

"
Gasoline
is
highly
flammable
and
fts
vaporsare

explosive
.
Do
not
smoke
or
work
on
a
car
near
heaters
or
other
fire
hazards
when
diagnosing
and
repalring
fuel
system
problems
.
Have
a
tire
extinguisher
avaílable
in
case
of
an
emergency
.

"
When
working
onan
open
fuel
system,
wear
suit-
able
hand
protection,
asprolonged
contact
wfth
fuel
can
cause
illnesses
and
skin
disorders
.

"
Renew
fuel
system
hoses,
clamps
and
O-rings
any
timethey
are
removed
.

"
Before
makingany
electrical
tests
that
require
the
engine
to
be
cranked
using
the
starter,
disable
the
ignition
system
as
described
in
120
Ignition
System
.

CAUTION-

"
Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
bat-
tery
disconnectinn
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
onpage
vifi
.

"
Do
not
connect
any
test
equipment
that
delivers

a
12-volt
power
supply
to
terminal
15
(+)
of
the
ig-

nitioncoil
.
The
current
flow
may
damage
the

ECM
.
In
general,
connect
test
equipment
only
as

speclfied
by
BMW,
this
manual,
or
the
equipment

maker
.

"
Only
use
a
digital
multlmeter
for
electrical
test
.

"
Only
use
an
LED
test
light
for
quick
tests
.

"
Disconnecting
the
battery
may
erase
fault

code(s)
stored
in
memory
.
Check
for
fault
codes

prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery
cables
.
ff
the

Check
Engine
light
ís
illuminated,
see100En-
gine-General
for
DME
fault
code
information
.
ff
any
other
system
faults
have
been
detected
(indi-
catedbyan
illuminated
warning
light),
see
an
au-
thorized
BMW
dealer
.
Additional
systems
with
self-diagnostic
capabilities
include,
ABS
(Anti-
lock
brakes),
SRS
(Airbags),
EML
and
ASC+T
and
AST
(Traction
Control)
.

"
Do
not
run
the
engine
wfth
any
of
the
spark
plug
wires
dlsconnected
.
Catalytic
converter
damage
may
result
.

"
Always
waitat
least
40
seconds
afterturning
off
the
ignition
before
removing
the
engine
control
module
(ECM)
connector
.
ff
the
connector
isre-
moved
before
this
time,
residual
power
in
the
sys-
tem
relay
may
damage
the
control
module
.

"
Cleanliness
is
essential
when
working
onan
open
fuel
system
.
Thoroughly
clean
fuel
line
con-
nections
and
surroundlng
areas
before
loosen-
ing
.
Avoid
moving
the
car
.
Only
fnstall
cleanparts
.

"
Fuel
system
cleaners
and
other
chemical
addi-
tives
other
than
those
specifically
recommended
by
BMW
may
damage
the
catalytic
converter,
the
oxygensensor
or
other
fuel
supply
components
.